If Adolf Hitler had spend his adult life in an Asylum in Berlin or Munich, Would Germany have had a better 20th Century experience? If Joseph Stalin had lived well-cared for in an Institution in Georgia, Would many Russians have avoided being tortured, terrorized and murdered? If Charles Manson had been transferred from a jail to a mental health facility in 1967, Would Sharon Tate now be a woman in her mid -to- late 60's on a CW sit com?
" The teachers would not turn their backs on him to write on the blackboard, fearing that he might shoot them in the back." , This comment was made the man who unleashed unspeakable mayhem at an Arizona Shopping Center late on the morning of Saturday, January 8th,2011.
The elected representatives in a Republic have an absolute responsibility to promote and safeguard the GENERAL WELFARE of its' citizens.. When they fail to do so or decide to follow policies that place the safety of the many to benefit a very few, that is an immoral and unjustifiable action. Those who are dangerous to themselves and others and who have the ability to control and modify his or her behavior and choose not to need to face imprisonment when they act to do harm to themselves and/ or others. Those who do harm to themselves and others and lack the ability to control their actions and who do not have the capacity to understand the consequences of their behavior need to be institutionalized.
Some will call me a hater, a fascist and anti-freedom for daring to type this. During Ronald Reagan's First Term as President the Issue of what to do with the asylums and institutions for those who would harm others and/ or were incapable of caring for themselves came up. Many of these institutions and asylums were poorly run and were in deplorable conditions. The standards for commitment seemed to be in serious need for review and overhauling. Some people believed that nothing worthwhile was being done for those who were living there. The belief of the time is that these venues were doing nothing save WAREHOUSING People.
Looking back at those times. The wise answer seemed to be - remodel the buildings, get better trained staff and administrators to run these facilities, review and reform the procedures for the operation of these facilities. Let's set up laws that work and defensible and justifiable procedures to decide who should be institutionalized.
Yet, None of this was done- Many asylums and institutions were simply torn down and their residents simply and not wisely simply released into the community. It was said that current drugs and therapies could allow these men and women to function acceptably as part of the overall society. Yet, Who would insure that these people would get the needed drugs at the proper dosages and at the needed frequency.? No answer really was provided and soon we had a large homeless population.
I have always been candid in my Blog. I had a nervous breakdown and I was homeless for 7 months in 2003 and 2004. I see a therapist and a psychiatrist , I am a member of various groups to help me better deal with everyday life! I am a part of The Mental Health Recovery Community in The Northern Virginia Area and consider myself an active and involved Mental Health Consumer and Advocate.
I find myself at odds, often, with other members of the community ! I do believe that we should help people be treated well, caringly and responsibly. Yet, We have to be honest and responsible that there are members of this communiity who are incapable of self-discipline, who decide to behave irresponsibly and wrecklessly and can be dangerous to themselves and others. We should adjust as well as we can to the behaviors of others- this is a just standard. If we put ourselves at risk to the benefit of others, This is simply and unjustifiable.
When we decide that being " nice and twisting ourselves into a pretzel in order to allow for any and every possible behavior", We are deciding to make everyone less safe and secure. We also make events such as Saturday's tragedy more likely to occur!
- Johnny -
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